Israel–Palestine–Lebanon

Binyamin area, West Bank: Israeli police and Shin Bet detain 10 suspects in 'Operation Olive Leaf' after settler attacks on photojournalist Heidi Levine and European diplomats

ATTACK
Location
Binyamin area, central West Bank, around Taybeh and Abu Falah (several unspecified arrest locations; area-level, estimated)
Actors
Israel
Importance
Standard

Israeli police, together with the Shin Bet security agency, Border Police and IDF forces, detained 10 suspects at several locations in the Binyamin area of the occupied West Bank on 19 October 2026 in an operation dubbed 'Olive Leaf', the BBC, The Guardian and Ynet reported, citing a police statement. The arrests followed the attack on Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine in Abu Falah on 16 October and the attack on a delegation of European diplomats in nearby Taybeh. According to the statement cited by the BBC, the suspects, who were not named, were held on suspicion of violence, violating a closed military zone order and illegal construction, and potential evidence and vehicles were seized. Ynet reported that a Jerusalem court extended the detention of most of the suspects on the evening of 19 October and released three under restrictive conditions. US Ambassador Mike Huckabee welcomed the arrests.

Verification: Probable

Evidence: Israeli police arrest 10 over settler attacks on journalist and diplomats in West Bank, Israeli police detain 10 people in rare raid against West Bank settlers, Detention extended for most Jewish extremists held over attacks on photographer, foreign diplomats

Israel Police statement reported by the BBC, The Guardian and Ynet; the statement itself was not read; suspects not identified; arrest locations not specified beyond the Binyamin area.